Ok, i see this question popping up all over threads and no one has made one yet that specifically answers this question. I'm curious as well. I just got my lancer about 3 weeks ago and i'm just about to begin the long and arduous process of customization. First up is a CAI, now i really dont care about opinions about which CAI is better, what i'm more curious about is the water problem. I hear so many horror stories about how having a CAI you cant drive when it rains, then i hear stories saying you can drive through a decent sized puddle and not have a problem. So basically, in this thread, anyone with a CAI or experienced one on a previous car share some insight. Did you drive the car in the rain a lot? puddles? Positive/negative impacts?

 

what? does the AEM water bypass not working for the lancer cai's?

 

I think he means without the bypass. I've driven through some puddles, not big ones. Make sure you put back your liner when you install though.

 

dude thats all BS im gonna tell you now, drove my car in POURING rane i mean like an 8 lane highway was almost flooded and nothing happened, mind you it was a 45 min drive so i think 45 mins proves it. oh and this was with an Ebay CAI....

 

You will be fine as long as it doesnt get submerged. If you are really worried about it buy a bi-pass.

 

I drove through about 2" of water on a road in pouring rain going about 50 MPH and had no problems, but I was worried at first. I have the bypass valve, but haven't put it in yet since I heard that it robs some HP. But driving in rain is not a problem. OI read once that in order for your engine to hydrolock, the intake has to be submerged some. And unles your car is slammed to the ground and you drive through 6" of water, you shouldn't be submerging the filter.

 

i have an ebay one and drive in pouring rain almost every day for the past 2 months and have never had any type of problem

 

i have aem cai, never got water up the intake and have been thorugh puddles and nothing has happened. i say rest assured that its ok unless youre fully submerged

 

and if you really want to be sure just get yourself a AEM bypass i was at AEM's booth in SEMA two years ago and they had a CAI with the bypass and they had the second pipe and filter before the bypass submerged in a clear bucket of water and it still wasn't sucking up any water with the blower fan they had attatched on the other end.

 

Or you could always move to the Nevada I hear it doesn't rain there =)

 

lol bump

 

so i was about to buy an ebay cai and the aem bypass.. i live in FL ... i dont need the extra $50 on the bypass....?

 

I think you will be fine, unless you drive through a deep puddle. If you seen one, don't go through it. I think maybe a little splash won't hurt.

 

Does anyone know how much HP the bypass robs?

 

Yeah when i started this thread i meant not using an AEM bypass. From what i hear through dyno charts there was a 1 to 2 hp loss on most engines with the bypass. So from what you guys are saying, water is not an issue, and if you are stupid enough to think a lancer can make it through flood waters anyway then you deserve to hydro lock. So i would say the general consensus is Water is not an issue, and the bypass really isnt needed if you are smart.